The New York Liberty opened their 2022 season on a victorious note, stealing a narrow decision from the Connecticut Sun.
BROOKLYN-It’s deja ‘Scu all over again.
Behind 25 points from Sabrina Ionescu, the Liberty erased an early deficit en route to an 81-79 victory over the Connecticut Sun on Saturday night, which tipped off their 26th season of action and second as full-time tenants on Atlantic Avenue. Natasha Howard assisted with 16 points and a team-best six rebounds.
It was also the first New York victory for head coach Sandy Brondello, who arrives in New York after eight seasons with the Phoenix Mercury.
“We still got lots of room to improve, we still got to integrate some other plays back from injury, but that (game) excites me about what we can do,” Brondello, now three wins away from tying Lin Dunn for the ninth-most coaching wins in WNBA history, said. “We struggled early because went back to 2021, not moving the ball. that’s not how we play, it’s ugly to watch…we’re just going to get better and better with more games under our belt.”
“It’s a great win for us at home. We had a great crowd, we’re super excited to be able to start the season off like that,” Ionescu said. “But I think all of us know it’s such a long season and it’s one-of-one every time you play. It’s that game that’s in front of you. You have to win and then move on and learn…We’re really happy with the outcome of this game and we were able to see the positive things that we did and also the negative things and what we have to work on.”
New York (1-0) was already significantly shorthanded upon Connecticut’s arrival, missing All-Star Betnijah Laney and recent All-Rookie team nominee DiDi Richards to minor injuries. The evening was nonetheless heralded by victorious returns to action, with first-round picks Jocelyn Willoughby and Asia Durr (AD) partaking in WNBA play for the first time in 601 and 1,004 days respectively. AD missed the last two years while dealing with long-term COVID-19 while Willoughby missed all of last season with an Achillies injury.
Though AD was limited to six minutes in their return, Willoughby played a major role in the Liberty’s rise back from a sluggish opening frame that saw them fall behind after allowing the first eight points of the game and stand on the wrong end of a 12-2 deficit. Willoughby was inserted into the starting lineup in place of Laney and played over 28 minutes, capped off by a clutch effort in the fourth quarter that featured six points, three rebounds, and two steals. The last two rebounds came off Connecticut’s attempts at equalizers that allowed the Liberty an opportunity to safely run out the clock.
“For someone that hasn’t played for over a year coming back from the injury that she had, she’s just so steady for a really young player,” Brondello said. “ She’s a fierce competitor and she has an engine…she’s a capable offensive player and made some timely threes for us to to get some separation, but she attends both ends of the floor and she’s a player.”
“It felt good for my first basket to go through. So that was exciting. I think a couple of trips up and down is like okay, we are back into the game…for me it was just being able to play again,” Willoughby said of the feelings and emotions of her first game back. Analyzing the difference between the first quarter and the rest of the contest, Willoughby praised her team’s ability to move the ball. “We moved the ball more than we did in the first quarter for sure and got better shots. We were forcing a little bit in the beginning, and when we move the ball, things come come easier.”
Ionescu once again played the opening night heroine after sinking a buzzer-beating three in last year’s narrow win over Indiana. She put in 10 points over the final frame, helping keep the Liberty in the frame despite Connecticut’s own comeback effort, one that saw them erase an 11-point Liberty lead, putting them up five near the midway mark of the final frame. Though there was plenty of time left on the clock this time around, Ionescu nonetheless had another game-winning basket, putting the Liberty ahead for good by a 74-73 margin off a Willoughby steal with just over three minutes remaining.
Connecticut (0-1) led 19-12 after the first quarter before facing a eight-point halftime deficit after getting beat 26-11 in the second. Five players reached double-figures, with Alyssa Thomas matching Ionescu’s tally at 25 points, all but seven coming in the second half. The Liberty and Sun will face off again on May 17 in Brooklyn for the second of four meetings this season.
Stars of the Game
3rd Star: Natasha Howard
16 points, 6 rebounds
2nd Star: Jocelyn Willoughby
13 points, 5 rebounds, 2 steals
1st Star: Sabrina Ionescu
26 points, 6 assists, 4 rebounds, 2 steals
Honorable Mentions
- Sami Whitcomb (15 points, 5 rebounds, 5 assists)
- Lorela Cubaj (2 points, 3 rebounds, 2 assists)
Up Next
The Liberty will play their first road game of the 2022 season on Wednesday night, when they face the defending WNBA champion Chicago Sky (8 p.m. ET, CBSSN). Chicago’s quest for a repeat got off to a heartbreaking start on Friday, as they dropped a 98-91 decision to the Los Angeles Sparks at home. Wednesday’s visit will be an early return to Chicago for Stef Dolson, who spent the past five seasons with the Sky (0-1) before signing with the Liberty over the offseason.
Geoff Magliocchetti is on Twitter @GeoffJMags
Baseline Sports NY is on Twitter @Baseline_NY
Image: Getty
